The present invention generally relates to surface cleaning machines, particularly to floor surface cleaning machines, and specifically to floor surface scrubbers.
A floor scrubber is a commonly used piece of equipment in the floor-care industry. The machine is generally comprised of a tank to hold cleaning solution, a scrub system to agitate the solution on the floor surface in order to loosen dirt, a vacuum squeegee system to pick up the dirty solution, and a tank to contain the dirty solution. Often floor scrubbers are battery powered.
As set forth in at least U.S. Pat. No. 2,978,719, floor surface cleaning members can be arranged to engage the floor surface in a manner to not only treat the floor surface but also provide a propelling force. In particular, floor surface scrubbers often arranged a single rotating floor scrubbing member to be mounted at an angle to the forward direction of travel of the floor scrubber to counter torque steer from the floor scrubbing member and to provide such a propelling force for assisting the operator in moving the floor scrubber over the floor surface. However, while enhancing the propelling force generated, such mounting often sacrificed the size of the pattern which the floor scrubbing member engaged the floor, especially for uneven floors.
Additionally, cleaning solution was often shower fed on the back of the rotating floor scrubbing member in floor scrubbers where the floor scrubbing member was directly driven by a motor or a motor/gear box combination. The back of the floor scrubbing members included holes which supposedly allowed the solution to flow therethrough to the scrubbing portions and the floor surface. However, due to rotation of the floor scrubbing members, the solution was accelerated when it engaged the back of the floor scrubbing member and tended to travel outwardly beyond the periphery of the floor scrubbing member and even in a manner to engage the side floor wipers. It is desired that the scrubbing member work the solution for as long as possible against the floor surface. To maximize operational efficiency, it is desired to provide the solution in the center of the scrubbing member to maximize the distance for the solution to travel to reach the periphery of the scrubbing member. Although annular dams have been provided on the back of the scrubbing member, the force that the solution is thrown outward by its engagement with a rotating scrubbing member is often sufficient to allow the solution to flow over such dams. Although allowing solution through the lug to which the scrubbing member is removably secured has been utilized for larger, generally indirectly driven scrubbing members where the scrubbing members are secured to the lug by uprights or similar fasteners, solution flow through lugs having radially extending, circumferentially spaced ears has not been provided.
For optimal operation, squeegees must engage the floor surface with an operational force. Although springs can be utilized to provide a biasing force for squeegees, such biasing force varies when the squeegee changes position relative to the floor scrubber as it moves over uneven floors. Although utilizing dead weight on the squeegee provides constant operational force, such squeegees are bulky and otherwise disadvantageous.
As floor scrubbers are often utilized in environments where noise is not desirable such as in hospitals, suitable provisions must be made to deaden any sound generated by the floor scrubber. As floor scrubbers utilize solution and are often cleaned by spraying down with water, it is desired that electrical motors and other electrical components to which water and similar solutions may have a detrimental affect be located in environments which allow passage of air but generally prevent passage of solutions.
To reduce fabrication and assembly costs, the use of plastic components in floor scrubbers is increasing. However, plastic components do not have the ability to absorb forces that many metal components do. As an example, bumper wheels which are secured by axially extending fasteners will create excessive torque force on plastic components from which the fasteners extend.
As the floor scrubbing members are located on the underside of floor scrubbers, it is often necessary to tip the floor scrubber to gain access to the scrubbing members such as for servicing or replacement. For battery powered floor scrubbers, tipping of the batteries may be detrimental to the batteries themselves and may be difficult due to their relatively large mass. In addition, to extend operation of the floor scrubber and not requiring delay while discharged batteries are being recharged, it is desirable to replace the discharged batteries with replacement, charged batteries to allow operation of the floor scrubber while the discharged batteries are being recharged. Thus, the batteries are often removed from the floor scrubbers. Typically, two 12 volt batteries are connected in series. Thus, a need exists for easily electrically connecting and disconnecting the batteries to each other and to the floor scrubber without requiring the use of tools and for allowing ease of removal, replacement, and interchange of batteries in floor surface cleaning machines.
Thus, a need exists for surface cleaning machines which overcome these deficiencies in prior surface cleaning machines, which satisfy needs in the field of surface cleaning machines, and which are otherwise advantageous.